‘Indianness’ in the Hindi novel “Cittkobrā” by Mṛdulā Garg: The Main Female Character between “Western” and “Indian” Role Model

Responsible for the doctoral project: Dr. Rita Krajnc (doctoral thesis 2015)
Funded by: URPP Asia and Europe
Project duration: June 2008 – May 2011
Doctoral committee: Prof. Dr. Angelika Malinar, Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies, Indian Studies/URPP Asia and Europe / Prof. em. Dr. Peter Schreiner, Indian Studies
Research Field: Entangled Histories

Abstract

The aim of this thesis project is to make a contribution to research on ‚Indian‘ and ‚Western‘ perceptions of ‚Indianness‘ in the field of Indological Studies. By systematically analysing novels of the author Mṛdulā Garg, an example of modern Hindi literature is examined as a reflection of social developments. In this framework the following thematic problem areas are dealt with: production, reception and transmission of Hindi literature, normative roles and the identities of members of Indian society, notions of identity, and the representation of ‚India‘ and the ‚West‘ in its mutual aspects of self-perception and social perception. The study's goal is to examine varying representations of ‚Indianness‘, on the one hand, from the author's point of view, and on the other hand, in the point of view of both western and indian critics. The study takes an interdisciplinary approach of combining methods taken from the field of philology and from literary and cultural studies. This involves especially a narratological approach that takes into account the category of ‚gender‘. In the field of Indological Studies Indian literature has rarely ever been analysed systematically with regard to the history of literature and society to the extent intended here. Therefore, both thematic and methodological results can be expected.